STERILA is an independent non-profit private association based in Zug, Switzerland, with Headquarters (HQ) in Kamari, Santorini. We are a sister organization of SAWA. With respect to animal welfare and tourism we would like to share the following with you:

Notice the behavior of the animal carer/driver; make a complaint if appropriate; change the provider or renounce the ride

For your own safety and protection of the donkey, check the saddle and bridle; do not accept any makeshift or patchwork solutions.

Plan ahead already as you book your holiday

Note the contact details of local animal welfare organizations and vets.

Book a progressive hotel, which sterilizes “its” hotel cats and has set up official feeding spots on the hotel grounds (STERILA-pipeline project).

With the right knowledge, tourists can already prevent and stop a lot of abuse.

Feeding stray dogs and cats is not enough

Help the stray and homeless animals on Santorini with your support of a local animal welfare organization like SAWA (main focus: dogs, donkeys) and STERILA (main focus: cats). There are many ways of helping us fight the vicious cycle of overpopulation, abuse and cruelty: Donations of food, material and money; or tell the world – the world has to know! or participate in on-site visits (especially at SAWA) or volunteer activities: help us for example for a few days in November till March monitoring cats, documenting sterilizations, taking pictures, driving x to y, and enjoy returning cats to the point of trapping. Especially for kids and young animal welfare activists: Help STERILA by sharing your pictures of ear-clipped (EC) cats with us and the world – be happy when you detect one – this cat will have a healthier, better life! Everyone can help through feeding cat food (no human food) at feeding points; and please do give water to stray cats, always, everywhere; lastly, you can become an expert too and learn/implement a TNR-action: STERILA welcomes you to free workshops on-site – get in touch.

When the tourist season comes to an end, countless homeless cats are poisoned, abandoned, run over, killed or eliminated in some other way. Cruel scenes that are repeated every year. Scenes that can be prevented! The whole thing sounds so brutal but the solution would be easy: To capture the stray and take it to the vet for sterilization. These animals are then marked and can be easily fed (exclusively with cat food.) They no longer multiply and their young must not die in the winter, be eaten by dogs or disposed of by humans.

Have a cat sterilized during your stay on Santorini

Check the procedure under cat adoption.

Travel with a cat transport bag instead of a beauty case. Or contact STERILA before coming to borrow a transport box for a deposit fee. Plan your cat mission thoroughly from home. Start on your mission at the beginning of your stay on Santorini. Capture a clearly unsterilized cat (minimum 6 months old.) Keep away from tame, trustful cats; they might already be sterilized without a mark such as tattoo or ear-clip. Bring your furry friend, preferably on an empty stomach, to one of our partner vets and get a sterilization document with the header «STERILA». Take a picture of the cat before and after sterilization. Time it so that you can still keep an eye on/get to see the cat after sterilization for a minimum of 3 days (feeding spots). Release the cat exactly in the place that you captured it (under no circumstances elsewhere!) .The time of release will be arranged prior together with the vet. With your pictures (mandatory) and the provided document, STERILA HQ (Kamari, Santorini) will refund you the sterilization costs, if you drop by in person within 10 days after the sterilization.

With the sterilization process, you have already helped this cat a lot! It will have a better, healthier life (decreased fight wounds, sexually transmitted diseases, etc.)

Most importantly, with your successful TNR measure, you will have prevented tens of thousands of unwanted cat births over the years

For emergencies

Switzerland:

+41 79 243 10 12SMS or WhatsApp us / We call back ASAP

Santorini:

+30 693 724 20 53
STERILA HQ: call/SMS/WhatsApp us

e-mail:

This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.